1. Field of the Invention
This invention is directed to an improvement in a ceiling panel which is supported in a grid system, and particularly, a safety mechanism for preventing the ceiling panel, accidentally disengaged from the grid system, from falling to the floor.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art has used ceiling panels with hook-like elements which engage the T-bar grid bulb of a ceiling runner. Normally, these structures hold the ceiling panel in position on the ceiling runner. The prior art does not appear to teach a safety mechanism consisting of a hook element, a pivot means and an activator flange being activated when the ceiling panel is placed in a suspended ceiling system. Placing the ceiling panel in position pivots the hook to its vertical position over the grid bulb so that disengagement of the ceiling panel from the flange of the runner will permit the hook to engage the grid runner bulb and retain the ceiling panel generally within the suspended ceiling system.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,033,079 shows a hold-down clip for ceiling panels which is attached to the edge of the panel and which includes a hook portion for engaging the bulb of the support grid.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,463,537 and 5,024,034 disclose suspension hooks for ceiling panels which engage the flanges rather than the bulb of a support runner.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,648,229 discloses a suspended ceiling system having tiles with interspersed hooks resting on runners. The hooks from adjacent ceiling panels rest on the top of the same runners but not upon each other.